Public Hearings, Finance & Special Meeting
December 18, 2025 — Troy City Council
December 18, 2025 — Troy City Council
The outgoing Troy City Council approved $900,000 for Mayor Mantello's city hall relocation to the Proctor's Theater building on December 18, 2025, pushing total city-side expenditures on the project to $1.15 million. The session covered a large year-end agenda across four separate meetings: two back-to-back public hearings on a downtown Business Improvement District plan amendment (which drew no speakers), a Finance Meeting, and a Special Meeting. All seven members were present. The evening closed with a group photo and farewell remarks for the five departing council members as the incoming Democratic supermajority prepared to take power.
Ordinance 75 was funded by $750,000 from the unassigned general fund balance and $150,000 from a dormant 2010 capital account. It passed 5-2, with incoming leaders Steele and Vera voting no. Their extensive floor questioning — on the double-entry budget structure, the fund balance threshold, and whether the $900,000 was a firm ceiling — extracted promises of transparency the administration had not volunteered on its own.
Resolution 118 updated the non-represented employee policy for the first time since 2020, adding a 3% raise for 2026, additional leave benefits, and new titles including Director of Public Utilities. Vera improved the resolution by successfully moving a floor amendment adding compensation for the reconstituted planning board — a member-driven correction to an administration proposal that had overlooked it. Resolution 119 commended the five departing members; Spain-McLaren moved a floor amendment to correct the years-of-service notation for Council Member Brosnan after the administration's draft contained an error.
Ordinance 76, amending the city's towing authority code, passed 5-2 in the Finance Meeting but three members voted no in the Special Meeting after Spain-McLaren joined Steele and Vera, making the final vote 4-3. The towing vendor issue came back up on December 30, when Phil's Automotive was removed from city contracts after constituent complaints. Departing members gave farewell speeches and the mayor read a formal proclamation.
Finance Meeting and Special Meeting votes shown. All differences noted in the Notes column.
| # | Title | Sponsor | Notes | Finance | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LL 4 | Amending the District Plan of the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District | Admin. | Vera recused (BID board member); Spain-McLaren and Steele praised the BID | 6-0-1 | 6-0-1 |
| Ord. 72 | In Rem Foreclosure Reconveyance — 62 Earl Street | Admin. | No discussion | 7-0 | 7-0 |
| Ord. 73 | In Rem Foreclosure Reconveyance — 560 Jacob Street | Admin. | No discussion | 7-0 | 7-0 |
| Ord. 74 | In Rem Foreclosure Reconveyance — 2219 Old Sixth Avenue | Admin. | No discussion | 7-0 | 7-0 |
| Ord. 75 | Amending the 2025 General Fund and Capital Project Budgets ($900K city hall move) | Admin. | Steele, Vera no. Extended floor discussion on fund balance and project ceiling. | 5-2 | 5-2 |
| Ord. 76 | Amending Chapter 273 of the Troy City Code (towing authority) | Admin. | Finance: Steele, Vera no. Special: Spain-McLaren switched to no — Steele, Vera, Spain-McLaren no. | 5-2 | 4-3 |
| Ord. 77–82 | Annual Tax Relevy Suite (bulk pickup, solid waste, legal fees, water/sewer shopwork, vacant building, water charges) | Admin. | Six routine year-end ordinances rolling unpaid fees onto 2026 tax bills | 7-0 each | 7-0 each |
| Ord. 83 | Amending the 2025 Water & Sewer Fund Budget | Admin. | Vera asked about $50K Half Moon revenue; admin uncertain if cash or receivable | 7-0 | 7-0 |
| Ord. 84 | Tax Certiorari Settlement — HYP Self Storage LLC | Admin. | No discussion | 7-0 | 7-0 |
| Ord. 85 | Tax Certiorari Settlement — Troy Woodland LLC | Admin. | No discussion | 7-0 | 7-0 |
| Res. 118 | Updated Non-Represented Employee Policy | Admin. | Vera floor amendment adding planning board compensation (5 members at $2K, 2 alternates at $1K). 3% raise for 2026; Juneteenth added as paid holiday. | 7-0 (amended) | 7-0 |
| Res. 119 | Commending Departing Council Members (Sorriento, Brosnan, Casey, Vera, Keal) | Steele | Spain-McLaren floor amendment correcting Brosnan's years-of-service notation | 7-0 (amended) | 7-0 |
The $900,000 capital appropriation for the city hall relocation drew the longest floor debate of the evening. Comptroller McNeff and Deputy Mayor Donnelly explained the double-entry structure: the $1.65 million figure in the ordinance reflects both the transfer-out and the matching revenue entry, but the net new appropriation is $900,000. Vera asked directly whether the unassigned fund balance would remain above the 10% threshold recommended by the State Comptroller's Office; she also requested a running project total, establishing on the record that $250,000 previously approved plus $900,000 equals $1.15 million in total taxpayer exposure. Spain-McLaren asked whether $900,000 was a firm ceiling; the Deputy Mayor said high-end estimates were used. Steele and Vera voted no in both meetings.
Vera pressed the administration on whether a single $50 parking ticket was sufficient cause to have a vehicle towed — the administration confirmed it was. Council members also noted that police do not typically accompany DPW on street cleaning routes. The ordinance passed 5-2 in the Finance Meeting but Spain-McLaren joined Steele and Vera in the Special Meeting, making the final vote 4-3. The towing vendor issue came up again on December 30, when the council removed Phil's Automotive from city contracts following constituent complaints about towing practices the administration had not addressed.
The first full update to the non-represented employee policy since 2020 arrived without a redlined comparison to the prior version. Vera requested that future policy changes include a redlined document. Key changes: additional vacation days, one additional personal day, Juneteenth added as a paid holiday, a 3% raise for 2026 (adding approximately $200,000 in personnel expense), and new titles including Director of Public Utilities and Director of Inclusion. Vera moved a floor amendment adding planning board member compensation, which passed unanimously.
Five council members left office at the end of 2025: Sorriento, Brosnan, Casey, Vera, and Keal. After Resolution 119 passed, departing members made brief remarks. Deputy Mayor Donnelly delivered extended farewell remarks: "Your word is all you have. You guys have served admirably. We're going to miss you incredibly. A new day is dawning." Mayor Mantello read a formal proclamation. The council broke for a group photo. December 18 was also Council Member Vera's birthday. The Special Meeting adjourned at 7:13 PM; the Finance Meeting had adjourned at 7:46 PM.
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